What Does it all Mean... The ponderings of an Artist

Is it money, Fame, Fortune, Prestige, or maybe just a willingness to help someone else? Why does an artist create art? This is an issue that people can not seem to agree on, especially artists.

Some artists will tell you that to be a true artist you must make work that will sell in your area. For our area that means little happy trees, flowers and clouds painted in the traditional Bob Ross style. Other artists believe that to be a serious artist you must strive for recognition and exposure or you are just someone that does Art for a hobby. I find these two statements very disturbing.

History tells us that even some of our now great artists were not successful during their time. Van Goh only sold one painting while he was alive. Van Goh painted approximately 200 paintings in his lifetime and still sold just one. Would we dare call him a closet artist for only selling one piece of his Art during his life time?

A gallery owner once told me that if I don't change my work into something that will sell in this area then I will never amount to anything more than an artist in my own mind and closet. This is an issue that her and I struggle with every time that we meet.

My own personal feelings on this subject are that Art is not about money or fame or even prestige. Art is something that I do to try and help people. Society has dark and disturbing issues that are swept under the rug so that we can deny their existence and ignore them. Art must inspire and move you and make you think about life and what is going on around you.

So if you are an artist and someone tries to tell you what Art are is all about I say tell them that Art is something personal and internal to the artist. The meaning and purpose of Art can not be dictated but felt and created within us. If you feel that your work has a message or is just beautiful than stand up for it and don't let anyone tell you that you are wrong.